We’ve matured our Russian Imperial Stout in premium bourbon barrels for up to one year to create the perfect blend of flavors. Notes of oak, vanilla, and bourbon add another level of complexity to this beer’s already massive flavor profile of chocolate, Ryan Bros. Coffee, and roasted barley. Designed to be enjoyed now or aged in the bottle for years to come, this special release is truly a unique beer that is smooth as it is rare.

UPDATED: OCT 17, 2006 Bottle. Vintage 2004, number 74 or 228. Provided by Zug4abby through illinismitty. My deepest gratitude to you both. Sean shared with me, rooftoprogue, and Landseer. An opaque black elixir poured from the bottle and was topped by a creamy tan head. The nose was incredible. One of those beers you want to just sit and sniff for a bit and let those fragrances stimulate the juices. Definite salivating now. Notes of chocolate, molasses, oak, bourbon, coffee, of the finest quality. MMMmmm. I have been craving this experience for some time but worried that the hype might be too much. It wasn’t. If I were to fault it at all, it would be the viscosity. Thicker and creamier would have been the topper. An insignificant thing and perhaps only noticed becuase of the awesome quality of the aroma and flavor. Ah, the flavor. The rich complexity of the aroma fulfills itself in the flavor. Chocolate, coffee, bourbon, molasses. Some slight bitterness of roasted coffee, and truly barrel-aged. A truly erotic, if not orgasmic beer experience. Were the body a bit more oily, so as to coat the mouth and linger on the tongue after it was swalloed, it would have been an extra edge. Sean, you could trash my kitchen anytime!!

UPDATED: NOV 7, 2006 Tasted a sample of the ’04 vintage at Tasting in the Woods, Part Deux. This beer was phenomenal. Pours to a pitch black color, with a thick, creamy, tan head, and a soft carbonation. The nose on this beer is incredible. Big aromas of dark chocolate, espresso, vanilla, roast, and light smoke flood the nose. The palate is rich, and full on the tongue, with a tremendous, complex flavors. Lots of big dark chocolate flavors, marry with flavors of esperesso coffee, vanilla, hints of black currant, and licorice. This beer finishes with more of those complex flavors up front, then ends with a soothing, warming burn that lingers. Any amazingly good Imperial Stout brought to new heights from the use of barrel aging. World class.

Got to try this at the columbus tasting thanks to OhioDad.Has a nice bourbon aroma with some chocolate,coffee,and vanilla mixed in.Pours black with a tan head.Very smooth and finishes with a slight bourbon burn.One of my favorite beers I’ve had to this point plus comes in a very nice bottle...

Sampled at the Knoxville tasting courtesy of Springslicker, thanks Jay. After just having tried and disliked one barrel aged beer (Angels Share), the group decided to pull out this one. Bottle #84/228. Having read so many good things about this beer over the course of four years at ratebeer, I was incredible excited to get to try this beer, this, holy grail for many a person who has drank this beer. It pours black with a brown head on it. The beer is black, there is no brownish hints, no dark brown bullshit, this is black. The aroma is fantastic, the best aroma I have ever smelled on a barrel aged beer - slight hints of vanilla, coffee, chocolate, raisins, slight alcohol notes. The taste is smooth, rich, creamy, absolutely not overdone with bourbon in the least. This beer is phenominal. Lives up to all of its high expectations, and then some. These guys need to give pointers to all of the barrel aging brewers that have their beer tasting like bourbon. With just the slightest bourbon notes, this becomes better than regular speedway. Believe what you read about this beer, it is very true. Thanks to Jay for letting me sample this rare ass beer.

Rating # 300. 2007 bottle with huge thanks to ajm. Shared with TheRealBastard. I sereved this one in a 26oz. frosted mug. Pour is an oily pitch black with a 2 finger milkshake looking head. Powerful aromas of burbon, huge roasted malt, fresh brewed coffee, wood, and nice caramel in the back. Flavor is very intesense throughout. Right up front with roasty goodness, going right into a hit of burbon, and finishing with coffee and vanilla. Holy hell, this is one of the most amazing and complex impys that I have ever encountered. All I can say is Wow!

Bottle saved from 2003 and shared by danielcurtis81 at his wedding reception. Pours pitch black with thin fading tan head. Nose contains some sweet chocolate and bourbon. The flavor is soft and smooth, a little sticky and creamy, not much to be said for carbonation but that just makes it taste more like a fine liquor. Very complex taste with bourbon, vanilla, sweet chocolate/cocoa, faint oak, caramel/nutty. Everything about this beer was simply amazing and it blew me away considering it was 6 years old. Best aged beer I have ever had...this is truly an example of how flavors improve with age. Dan, thank you so much for sharing, and I hope for your marriage to improve with age just like this brew!

Incredible big thanks to mashmaster for that bottle. Bottle from 2006 - 132/233. Looks wonderful. The beer in the glass the same. Very dark, small creamy head. Could smell that wonderful soft-malty aroma all day long. Starts very strong and malty, not dry, soft as velvet, very complex notes of chocolate, coffee and liquorice. A little bit prickly-scratchy without being too much. Goes down warming and wonderful balanced. Very soft for a barrel aged beer of this strength. I love it!

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